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@ An Apple For The Picking
Minnie the Moo-cher begins her experience of Water!
An Apple For The Picking
A red apple, ready to eat, nature has washed it clean of dust and soon it will let go of its hold on the branch, let’s pluck it and eat it and enjoy the crisp taste of autumn on the way.

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@ Graceful Water Lily

White Daisy Egg
My pets are in awe of these beautiful eggs—they would love to try to paint their own one year. Easter and spring are times of joy as the earth awakens, plants are pushing forth from the soil, and the days are becoming warmer. Many baby animals are born in the spring, and life is burgeoning. May these eggs bring you joy and be a reminder of the earth renewing itself.

Graceful Water Lily
The Nymphaeaceae family (a very fitting name for these elegant water plants) offer the ideal finishing touches to a garden pond. Water lilies add practical features and also beauty to any pool. Fish use them to hide from predators, and as shady retreats from the hot summer sun. Plants growing in a pond help keep the water clean and aerated. These specimen is especially beautiful!

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@ Rain Tracks
"What unit of measure is used for wind speed, Minnie the Moo-cher?" asked Flip Flop Flap.
"Um—I don't know—miles per hour?" hazarded Minnie the Moo-cher.
"No. The knot."
"Oh, Flip Flop Flap, I thought that was to do with sailing?"
Flip Flop Flap consulted the tour guide. " 'A knot is a unit of speed equivalent to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft, or winds.' There you go."
Rain Tracks
Today is raining and the raindrops have gathered on the window pane. The drops are racing each other and chasing each other to see which drop can make it to the bottom of the window first. Dear pets, if you would like to play a game with these raindrops, choose one and follow it with your paw, or talon as it heads downward.

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@ Lake Baikal, Russia
In Greek mythology, the Anemoi were four wind gods, causing wind from the four compass points.
Lake Baikal, Russia
Lake Baikal, in southern Siberia, Russia. It is considered to be the oldest lake in the world, at 25 million years, and the deepest lake. It contains 20% of the world's total unfrozen freshwater reserve. A Unesco world heritage site. Beautiful in winter, a huge chunk of ice looking like a massive diamond.

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@ Frog on a Lily Pad
“What have you got in your rucksack, Cindy?” asked Minnie the Moo-cher. “It looks very full!”
“I’ve come prepared for anything, Minnie the Moo-cher,” responded Cindy. “There’s canvas deck shoes, tennis shoes, flip-flops, sandshoes, walking boots, sandals, loafers—you name it, I’ve got it!”
Frog on a Lily Pad
It's an endearing, iconic image—a frog on a lily pad! The lily leaves are attached to stems about four feet long connected to the plant growing on the bottom of the pond. These stems and the water's surface stability make the lily pads strong enough to carry a frog. It may look a peaceful scene, but the frog is in reality remaining motionless, waiting for unsuspecting prey!

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@ Victoria Falls, Zambezi River, Africa
Minnie the Moo-cher and Rascal had shaken paws and took some time to enjoy the exhibits in a companionable silence!
Victoria Falls, Zambezi River, Africa
One of the world's largest waterfalls, with a width of 1708 m (5604 ft) Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi River, in southern Africa. In the Lozi language, Mosi-oa-Tunya, "The Smoke That Thunders"; In the Tonga language Shungu Namutitima, "Boiling Water") The Sotho language name Mosi-oa-Tunya is the name used most commonly.

David Livingston, a Scottish Missionary, was the first recorded European to set eyes on the falls in 1855. Livingstone named the falls Victoria after Queen Victoria, the World Heritage List officially recognizes both names. Mr. Livingstone also cited an older name, Seongo or Chongwe, which means "The Place of the Rainbow", as a result of the constant spray.

Victoria Falls, though not being the largest in width or height alone, combined these falls are indeed the world's largest sheet of falling water.

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@ Regal Swan
Air was considered a “pure” element, but in fact the air that’s all around us is made up of a variety of gases: primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with almost 1% argon and even smaller amounts of carbon dioxide and other elements such as krypton and helium. The composition of air is just right for life on Earth, though.
Regal Swan
The mute swan, or Cygnus olor is a very large white waterbird with an orange bill. In the UK they are most commonly found in England, but to a lesser extent in Scotland and Wales. In cold weather, some mute swans arrive from Europe into eastern England.

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@ Many Waterfalls
“If there's time at the end of the day when we get back to our accommodation, I might do some initial sketches for a watercolour painting from the postcard I bought in the gift shop," swinger said, offering Minnie the Moo-cher a toffee from the bag and then unwrapping one for himself.
“That sounds like a good plan, swinger!" said Minnie the Moo-cher. "Very relaxing, and your painting will be a great souvenir of our trip through the Elements!"
Many Waterfalls
Looking like so many mini waterfalls, the ocean surges, and retreats over a large flat rock. The sound must be wonderful, so soothing.

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@ Ripples On The Water
"Why do we get sea breezes, Minnie the Moo-cher?" queried Geoffrey.
Minnie the Moo-cher looked baffled. "I don't know, Geoffrey! We just do!"
Geoffrey read out from the brochure: " 'Sea breezes occur because heat from the sun takes longer to warm the sea than the land, creating a difference in air pressure.' So—there it is."
Ripples On The Water
Water rippling over the rocks below creates abstract patterns that shift and change.

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@ Tudor Rose
The air in Earth’s atmosphere is made up of approximately 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. Air also has small amounts of lots of other gases, too, such as carbon dioxide, neon, and hydrogen.
Tudor Rose
In the 15th century King Henry VII of England introduced the Tudor Rose, which combined the red rose of the House of Lancaster with the white rose of the House of York. The Tudor Rose was adopted as the national emblem of England, and was a symbol of peace and unity in the period following the long civil war.

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@ Leaf And Water Drops
"What two elements is water made up of, Minnie the Moo-cher?" asked Maybelle.
"That's easy: hydrogen and oxygen!"
"Correct, Minnie the Moo-cher! Two parts of hydrogen to one part oxygen, making the element name H2O."
Leaf And Water Drops
Magnifying a subject—as in this leaf and water drops—can produce some wonderful almost abstract art.

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@ Swimming With The Fish
"I'm going to buy that souvenir wind spinner, Bella," said Minnie the Moo-cher. "It'll be a nice colourful addition to my garden!"
"That sounds like a lovely memento, Minnie the Moo-cher!"
Swimming With The Fish
Where do I want to be? Under the sea. The water is warm the fishes are darting around in colourful schools—nibbling a bit of plant here and there.

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@ Water Drops On Pine Needles
"What two elements is water made up of, Minnie the Moo-cher?" asked LILJE.
"That's easy: hydrogen and oxygen!"
"Correct, Minnie the Moo-cher! Two parts of hydrogen to one part oxygen, making the element name H2O."
Water Drops On Pine Needles
Come along dear pets, we are going to take a walk amongst the trees. The rain has stopped and the air is fresh with the scent of pine all around, it will lift our spirits and refresh our minds.

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@ Rain Soaked Twig
"Hey, this is interesting, Minnie the Moo-cher!" declared CatchThis18. "It says here that if the entire world’s water were fit into a 4 litre jug, the fresh water available for humans and pets would equal only about one tablespoon."
Minnie the Moo-cher fidgeted with the corner of her brochure. "I'm not sure I follow, CatchThis18!"
"It's a proportion thing, Minnie the Moo-cher. Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. That leaves just 1% for all of our needs!"
Rain Soaked Twig
Don't you just love the play of light on the foliage, with the foreground in sharp focus and the background grasses a soothing blur, and this twig weighed down by raindrops at dawn?

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@ Hello, Anyone Home
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Hello, Anyone Home
Raindrops bejewel the web of a spider. I wonder where the occupant of this web went when the rains came. A spider can’t hold an umbrella, so I hope it found a big leaf to hide under while waiting out the rain.

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@ Refreshing The Rose
"Wind speed is measured with a device called an anemometer. There's a project here for making an anemometer, Minnie the Moo-cher. We could try it out tonight when we get back to the accommodation."
"Goodness, Tess! Isn't it terribly technical and scientific to do that?" queried Minnie the Moo-cher.
Tess studied the diagram helpfully provided in the brochure. "Nah. It seems to be made of empty yoghurt cartons and stuff. We'll give it a go!"
Refreshing The Rose
The dusty pink rose, is ready to unfurl, perhaps today when the sun shows its face, but for now, the rose has been washed of dust and refreshed.

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@ Playing With Waves
"The Great Fire of 1666 started in London, on Pudding Lane, in a baker's shop. The baker believed he had put the fire out but in the middle of the night the fire grew and his house was in flames. Pudding Lane is still there today. If you want to visit it, Monument is the nearest tube station. The place where the fire started is also marked by a monument topped by a fiery gold ornament," said Minnie the Moo-cher.
"It makes it sound like it's the only monument in London, Minnie the Moo-cher!" chuckled Clyde.
Playing With Waves
Take your shoes and socks off, the sand is soft, and the water is warm as the waves gently roll in and out. Playing tag with the waves is a favourite pastime of many people and pets. A great way to cool off during the heat of the summer.

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@ Dewy Iris
"I think there'll be quite a few tired paws, wings and flippers when we get back to the tour bus," said Fancy, after she and Minnie the Moo-cher had spent some time exploring another wing of the art gallery to its end.
"Is there a gift shop after this?" enquired Minnie the Moo-cher. "The thought of that generally keeps me going!"
Dewy Iris
A beautiful iris with dew-laden deep blue petals in an atmospheric close-up image.

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@ Tantalizing Cherry
“Ooh, it's just starting to get a bit cold, Minnie the Moo-cher!” said Mystery. “Can you hold my map while I dig out my jumper?"
Minnie the Moo-cher good-naturedly took charge of Mystery's possessions while she emptied her rucksack of a pack of sandwiches, a Thermos flask, a pair of galoshes, a bag of toffees, a paperback novel, a bottle of mineral water, an address book, some postage stamps, an assortment of different coloured biros, a bottle opener, a couple of old train tickets, a handful of golden and silver moles, a door key, some shopping receipts, a screwdriver, a bottle of multivitamins, a lottery ticket and a selection of rather battered sachets of salt, sugar and tomato ketchup before locating the jumper right at the bottom. This she donned and then Minnie the Moo-cher helped her put everything back in her rucksack.
Tantalizing Cherry
Water drops on a ripe red cherry, how mouthwatering is that. But is this cherry for eating or is it a model for an artist? Don’t help yourself quite yet.

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@ Heron at Dawn
Air pollution is measured with the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The lower the AQI, the cleaner the air is. However, if you are outside when the AQI is over 100, it’s about the same as breathing in exhaust from a car all day! Things that cause poor air quality are forest fires and cities with lots of car traffic. If the AQI is higher than 100 you shouldn’t spend too much time outside.
Heron at Dawn
This tall, almost prehistoric looking, grey heron stands like a statue on the edge of the pond, contemplating its next meal. Dawn is just breaking and the water is shrouded with mist.

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@ Canine Hydrotherapy!
Air pollution is measured with the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The lower the AQI, the cleaner the air is. However, if you are outside when the AQI is over 100, it’s about the same as breathing in exhaust from a car all day! Things that cause poor air quality are forest fires and cities with lots of car traffic. If the AQI is higher than 100 you shouldn’t spend too much time outside.
Canine Hydrotherapy!
Most dogs love to swim! Those that take to aquatic frolics most readily will be dogs with a water-resistant coat, evenly distributed body weight and a large tail to act as a rudder!

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@ Ladybug Going For A Walk
The four elements were even used to described the four temperaments a person could have, and Hippocrates used the four elements to describe the four “humors” found in the body. These theories stated that the temperaments and humors needed to be in balance with each other in order for a person to be well both mentally and physically.
Ladybug Going For A Walk
Little ladybug taking a stroll on a leaf, it rained this morning and the ladybug stops to sip at a raindrop. Refreshed the ladybug will move on to do ladybug things.

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@ Teal & Purple Peacock Feather
"There's a fun project in our brochure on how to make a weather vane from an ice cream container lid, scissors, a marker pen, a skewer, a straw and a pin," remarked Minnie the Moo-cher.
"Cool!" responded Foxy. "We could make a start when we get back to our hotel tonight."
Teal & Purple Peacock Feather
Birds waterproof their feathers with oils from the preening activity, which prevents water droplets sinking further into the feathers. Instead water forms into droplets which run off the feather. Feathers have a unique and highly complex structure and their arrangement with neighbouring feathers maintains their "waterproof" integrity.

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@ Water Drops On A Rose
“I could stay here in front of this image forever, Minnie the Moo-cher,” said Noelle. “This is an amazing place!”
“Well, you never know what lies ahead, Noelle. I wouldn't be surprised if the next exhibit is even better!” said Minnie the Moo-cher.
Water Drops On A Rose
A white rose in full bloom, sprinkled with drops of water. Did it rain early in the morning, or did a gardener come by with a watering can and drench the flowers before the sun came out?

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@ Plop, Water Drops
As Minnie the Moo-cher's experience of "Water" comes to an end, she receives a wonderful gift!
Lotus Flower, Violet
For thousands of years, the Lotus flower had been used as a symbol of purity, beauty, and transcendence. The Lotus flower also represents connection. In Feng Shui the lotus is seen as an embodiment of the mandala, the petals have a center point that expands outward. Beautiful, delicate flowers that only grow in swamps. "All the wisdom is within us, so the 'jewel,' the 'treasure,' is in us—and we are the lotus flower," Anjie Cho

Plop, Water Drops
As the rain falls and lands on the water’s surface it creates craters and small pillars of water. It is endlessly fascinating to watch the raindrops fall.
Minnie the Moo-cher has completed her exploration of "Water"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also explore the Elements!